Switch-stand.



H. H. LLOYD.

SWITCH STAND.

APPLIOATIQN FILED AUG. 18,1908.

Patented July 6, 1909.

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HENRY H. LLOYD, OF MACON, GEORGIA.

SWITGH-STAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. August 18, 1908.

Patented July 6, 190s?.

Serial No. 449,143.

To all whom it may] concern:

Be it known that i, HENRY H. LLOYD, a citizen of the United States, residing' at hiacon, in the county of Bibb and State ol' Georgia, have invented new and useful lmprovemcnts in Switch-Stands, oli' which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to switch stands for railroad track switches designed to display signals whereby engineers on approaching' trains can ascertain the condition of the switch.

The invention has lor one et its objects to improve and. simplify the construction and operation of apparatus of this character so as to be comparatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and install, thoroughly reliable and ellicient in use, and readily manipulated.

Another obj oct of the invention is the provision of signaling` means such as a red light or semaphore that is automatically thrown to warning' position in caso the lock lor the switchthrowing lever opened by a person tampering with the device.

W ith these objects in view and others, as will appear' as the description proceeds the invention comprises the various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully described hereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claims a'jjipended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, which illus trates one of the embodiments of the invention, Figure l is a front view of the apparatus showing the parts in closed switch position and with a portion of the base broken away. Fig. 2 is a side view of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is a front view, showing the auxiliary signaling' means in set position.

Similar reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the views.

Referring; to the drawing, A designates the base of the stand, which is mounted. at one side of the railroad track adjacent the switch. with which the apparatus is associated, and mounted on the base and supported in upright position thereby is a standard l which is adapted to turn with the opening and closing' of the switch for displaying the signals. The standard is arranged in a vertical opening 2 in the bottom of the base and in a collar 3 which has a non-circular boss l that normally engages :in a correspondswitch, there being' a coupling' device lil on the lower end of the standard for conncctini;l

' the same with the rod attached to the switch points. rlhe lower' end of the standard is preferably square and extends through a correspondinghy-shaped opening; in the collar 3` so that when the collar is seated, the standard is incapable of turning'. On the collar is a locking lug' 12 that is adapted to automatically catch in a locking' device carried b y t he lever in the usual manner so as to lock the parts in 'the position shown in File'. I. On the upper end of the standard is lamp i3 and below the lamp are two sets of wings lf-'l and l5 which indicate, respectively, when thrown to full View position, that the switch is closed or open. With the parts shown in Fig'. l, the wings 1.4i indicate that the switch is closed, and when. the standard is given a quarter turn by the lever 7, the wings l5 will be in full view so that the engineer of an approaching train will know that the switch is open. The lamp 13 is provided in 'two oppo site sides with white lenses 16 and at the other' two opposite sides with red lenses i7 to indicate the open and closed position el the switch at night.

An auxiliary signaling' device is employed to show that the lock and operating' lever' have been tampered with. On the collar 3 are formed depending; members 18 disposed at opposite sides ol the standard and under the lower ends of the members are springs 19 which rest upon abutinents 20 on the standard, the springs being under compression when the operating lever is in locked position so that in case the locking' device of the lever is broken, the lever will be thrown to raised position. Attached to the lever, and prefer ably extensions oi' the links 8, are actuating rods 2l arranged at opposite sides of the standard and slidably mounted in guides 22 on the latter', and on the upper ends of the rods is a signal device 23 which is provided with red lenses 24 that are adapted to cover lOO the white lenses 16 when the operating lever is raised by the springs 19, so that the parts will assume the position shown in Fig. 3, Mounted on the standard is a semaphore 25 that swings on a pivot 25 and this semaphore is connected by a link 27 with one of the actuating rods 21, so that as the rods are raised, the semaphore will be thrown to outstandingposition. This semaphore will warn the engineer of an approaching train, in the daytime, that the switch has been tampered with so that an inspection can be made before the train passes the switch, and the signal device 23 serves as a warning b y night for the saine purpose.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while l have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, l desire to have it understood that the appa ratus shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus describeiil the invention, what l claim is:--

l. ',lhe combination of a switch stand including signaling means for imilicatingl the open and closed condition of the switch, and a locking device for holding the parts in closed switch position, with an auxiliary signaling means arranged on the stand to be automatically displayed when the said device is unlocked.

2. rlhe combination of a switch stand including a standard, signaling means on the standard for indicating the open and closed position of the switch, and a locking device for the standard, with an auxiliary signaling means mounted on the standard and coperating with the 'first mentioned signaling means for indicating the position of the locking device.

3. The combination of a switch stand including a standard, an operating lever therefor, signaling means on the standard, and a locking device for holding the lever in normal position, with an auxiliary signaling means adapted to be displayed when the lever is in unlocked position, and a device arranged to throw the auxiliary signaling means into operative position automatically.

4. The combination of a switch stand including a standard, a supporting base therefor, a locking device for preventing movement of the base, an operating lever for releasing the device and actuating the standard, and signaling means on the standard, with an auxiliary signaling mechanism comprising a semaphore and a light displaying device, and means for automatically throwing the semaphore and light-displaying dcvice into warning position.

5. The combination of a switch stand including a standard, a supporting base therefor, a collar on the standard, a socket in the base for receiving the collar to prevent turn ing of the standard, an actuating lever mounted on the standard and operatively connected with the collar for releasing the latter from the socket and for turning the standard, and a locking device for holding the lever in position, with an auxiliary signaling mechanism comprising day and night signaling devices, means for movably mounting the devices on the standard, connections between the devices and collar, and means for automatically moving the collar and throwing the signaling devices to warning position when the levcr-locking device is open.

In testimony whereof I ailiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY H. LLOYD.

Wlitnesses JOHN L. FLETCHER, CHATTEN BRADWAY. 

